U.S. Senate Candidate James Talarico Pledges to Serve Full in El Paso
U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico will discuss key public issues in Texas during the first stop of his Frontera tour in El Paso, July 11, 2026.
- Democratic candidate James Talarico has announced the schedule for three televised debates with Republican Ken Paxton.
- Paxton’s campaign said he was willing to debate, but had concerns about fairness and the selection of a moderator.
- Talarico’s campaign has accepted debates scheduled for September and October in various Texas cities.
- Recent polls have shown a close race, with one poll showing Talarico with a slight lead over Paxton.
Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has announced the dates and locations of three televised debates with Republican Ken Paxton.
Paxton’s campaign expressed concerns about the proposed format, saying that while the Texas attorney general remains open to participating in the debate, Texans need the opportunity to compare candidates in a fair environment.
Talarico on Wednesday, July 29, announced the schedule for three televised debates following his July 16 challenge to Paxton.
In his dissent, Talarico criticized Paxton’s comments as lacking public engagement and questioned whether he would participate in the debate.
Talarico reiterated that criticism when announcing the date for the debate.
“A time and place for the debate have been set, which I have accepted,” Talarico said in a statement. “Let’s see if Ken Paxton joins us.”
USA TODAY reached out to Paxton’s campaign to ask if they had agreed to the proposed debate. Nick Maddux, an adviser to Mr. Paxton, said the campaign is willing to continue the debate but does not want the Talarico campaign to dictate the terms of the debate.
“The Texans deserves a fair comparison, not political theater,” Maddux said in a statement. He added that the campaign is close to agreeing with media outlets about the details of the debate, which will be announced soon.
When and where will the Texas Senate debate take place?
Details of the three debates are below.
- NBC/Telemundo/Hearst: September 22nd at 8pm PT in Rio Grande Valley.
- WFAA/TEGNA: October 6th at 8pm CT in Dallas.
- KXAN/Nexstar: Oct. 13, 9 p.m. Central Time, Austin.
What do the recent Texas Senate polls show?
A Texas Public Opinion Research (TPOR) July 28 poll showed Mr. Talarico leading Mr. Paxton 45% to 40%, an increase of 2 points from TPOR’s post-runoff poll in May.
This came after two polls conducted in June showed the race deadlocked.
A New York Times/Siena poll released June 30 showed Mr. Paxton tied with Mr. Talarico at 47%. A poll conducted June 23 by the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project found Mr. Paxton at 43% and Mr. Talarico at 42%, a one-point difference within the poll’s margin of error.
Mateo Rosiles is a Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and local Texas newspapers. Do you have any news tips for him? Email us at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
